What happens when you let go of the tight grip you’ve held on yourself and your own set of boundaries? You’re set f**king free.
At the start of this year, I began diving deep into my own hurts. Where do they stem from, and how do you move forward without dragging along a heavy suitcase full of baggage that no longer fits who you are, or belongs in your life now?
Opening your heart to more pain makes you more vulnerable than ever. But with this mindset, you’re setting yourself up for success because whatever comes your way will be genuine and sincere. Could you get hurt again? Sure, but think about how much love you can invite into your life with this outlook.
So, I took the leap. I opened my heart. And I found myself in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to, Habitas Tulum.
Despite traveling around the world multiple times, I haven’t often allowed myself to visit places just for the sheer enjoyment of being there. Most of my travels had some sort of attachment, whether it was for visiting someone, work, or something else. So, allowing myself to visit a place simply because it feels right is entirely new to me. That’s why it fits so perfectly into my philosophy of keeping my heart wide open and welcoming what comes your way.
But is it just about visiting places? Not at all. Growing up with culinary traumas, my young life was more about nutrition than flavor. What do I need to survive? More often than not, it was a diet centered around pasta. So, when you ask me about my favorite meal, it’s simple: Pasta Bolognese. Approaching the culinary world with an open heart has allowed me to taste flavors I never thought I’d enjoy. Who would’ve guessed I’d savor the taste of a tuna steak? You kind souls reading this probably already knew and might’ve joked, “I could’ve told you that, ya goofball.” But hey, we all have our own little universe we’re living in, and in mine, these flavors didn’t exist until now. They didn’t exist until I began to open my heart and stop fearing pain. Fear of getting hurt.
We’re all so protective of our emotions and feelings because they’re what hold our world together. What we weren’t taught is that by doing so, we limit ourselves to experiences within our own bubble, missing out on a ton of amazing things, whether they’re related to food or friendships that blossom into love.
Opening your heart lets more happiness into your world.
Go ahead, don’t be afraid. Say it to yourself one more time.
Opening my heart lets more happiness into my world.
We’re all scared, and if we can loosen the reins just a little, even for a moment, we’ll all have a bit more spring in our step, a few more smiles for the strangers we pass by.
Remember, we’re all light.
-cb